Best of Renninger's Flea Market Fall 2017

One of the highlights of my fall season is the Extravaganza Antique Market in Pennsylvania. The markets we go to have changed over the last 10 years but it is still a great weekend getaway if you like to look at antiques and other interesting objects. http://www.antiquescapital.com

We start out at Renninger's Antique and Farmers' Market in Kutztown, PA. Renninger's has numerous locations, Kutztown, PA, Adamstown, PA, Mount Dora and Melbourne, Florida. We have been to all of them except Melbourne.
http://www.renningers.net

The most important thing to know about Renninger's is that even though the buildings are open year round the best time to go is for the "Extravaganza". In PA it is in April, June and September. In Florida it is in November, January and February.

Check their website for the exact selling times. We always start out in Kutztown on Friday. Technically it opens on Thursday. It will cost $6.00 to get in.

From Kutztown we drive to Adamstown, PA. It is between Lancaster and Reading, PA. To find a hotel you need to look up Denver, PA. We have stayed in numerous places but we like the Comfort Inn. It is expensive but it is worth it.

Adamstown is a quaint Pennsylvania Dutch town full of Antique Malls and other assorted stores. If you get there on Friday you can go to the Green Dragon Market in Ephrata,PA.It is more of a Farmers Market, run by the Amish community, with food but there are also some collectables. We do not usually go there.   http://www.greendragonmarket.com

One of the other big outdoor markets is Schupps Grove, Adamstown. http://www.shuppsgrove.com
Again, it is open every week but it is the best during Extravaganza Weekend.

The other stores that are pretty great. If you live close by I would recommend to check it out.

There is a Renninger's in Adamstown but they are only open on Sunday. There is an inside building to walk through as well as a big outside set up. Again, it is best during Extravaganza.

Here are some items I did not buy.

These were in Kutztown. I love these Knock Down Cats. They are hard to find. I have never seen a large one like the cat on the right. The two small ones were $195.00 each and the big one was $450.00

This is in Kutztown. I always think this guy has a great booth.

I love a Marx wind-up toy.

Schupp's Grove had this coin operated horse. They were asking $250.00. It was sold by the time I left.

This is one of my favorite booths at Schupp's. She has the best collection of Steiff animals. I have a few puppets.

This is one of the Antique Malls. It is the Heritage Antique Center.  They always have a Half-Price Tent during the Extravaganza. 

They have a mascot named Harold that the dress up for every holiday. They seemed to have added a friend this year.

They also have a sister store 272 Antiques.

There are many more stores to check out. Good Luck!

Weaving

Weaving 

This is my second weaving using the rug knot stitch or at least that is what I think it is called.
I have been weaving for about a year and I have mostly made small pieces.


This weaving is different than most of my pieces because it is bigger than most and it has the special knotted rug piece in the middle. I am not sure I did it correctly but it seemed to work. I was not sure how short to cut the "pile" but when you are weaving/ tying it you need to keep the pieces long. 

The side view of the weaving in progress.

All of my weavings are made on a cardboard loom made from mat board, 4 ply rag to be specific. I frame for a living so the board is mostly scrap. I like the board because it is stronger than cardboard. 

This is the weaving in progress. The first knotted weaving I made had a smaller raised area. I cut the yarn as I went along. For this weaving I waiting until the end to cut them all down. I thought that it would be better since the whole weaving was not completed.

I always finish the back of my weaving very neatly. This is the finished weaving with the clippings from the back. Before cutting, the white pile area was about 1" tall. When it is cut the height is 1/2". It is tricky to cut it evenly. First I used a small scissors but it was much easier to use a larger one. Make sure the scissor is sharp.

I was trying to make a flower but it ended up looking like a cross. Better luck next time. 

Richard Cordtz

My friend Richard Cordtz

I wanted to make sure my friend is remembered by attaching his Obituary and a few pictures I have of him.

I met Richard because of my association with Harrison Burns. Richard was Harrison's roommate. I am not sure how long they knew each other or where they met. When I knew him he lived at 269 Bowery in NYC.

Richard Cordtz at the opening for Harrison Burns at Rabbet Art Gallery. The show was titled, Paintings Noir, October 20, 1990. He had a broken ankle/leg.

Link to Obituary